Aiko was awakened in the night by a loud banging noise. Her heart pounded as she sat up, straining to hear through the darkness. The sound came again, echoing through her cell’s cold, sterile walls. Leaped out of her bunk and padded silently to the door, her breath shallow and rapid. She opened the small slot on her cell door with a trembling hand and peered into the dimly lit hallway.
Her eyes widened as she saw a man in a suit and Malcolm carrying Ginger, each supporting one of her shoulders. Ginger’s head lolled to the side, her blond hair falling like a curtain over her face. Aiko’s heart sank at the sight of her friend in such a state.
“I thought you said the tonic was ready,” Malcolm said, his voice a harsh whisper.
“It tested fine. She must have had a reaction,” the man known as Operator 47 replied, his tone cold and clinical.
Aiko strained to hear more, but the voices faded as the two men disappeared down the hallway, taking Ginger with them. She closed the slot and leaned against the door, her mind racing. What did they want with Ginger? And what was in that tonic?
She lay back down on her bunk, but sleep eluded her. The image of Ginger, limp and unresponsive, haunted her thoughts. She had to discover the truth, but for now, waiting was her only option.
As morning came, Aiko was awakened by her cell door opening. A guard stood in the doorway, his expression blank and emotionless.
“You’re needed,” he said, his voice devoid of warmth.
Aiko nodded and followed the guard out of her cell. They walked through the labyrinthine corridors of the detention center, the air heavy with the scent of disinfectant and despair. Finally, they arrived at an abandoned block, the walls covered in peeling paint and the floor littered with debris.
The guard led her into an open area, where Ginger was tied to a chair in the center of the room. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was shallow. A man in a suit, whom Aiko recognized as Operator 47, checked her over, his expression one of detached interest.
“Operator 47, meet Aiko Takahashi, our resident expert on the code related to Mindjevity,” Malcolm said.
Aiko’s eyes narrowed as she looked from Malcolm to Operator 47.
“Why is Ginger in that chair?” she demanded, her voice trembling with anger.
Operator 47 straightened up and turned to face her, his eyes cold and calculating.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“I needed someone Ginger knows to help her come back to reality. I’m afraid the tonic had some nasty side effects, and you need to talk her out of her fantasy.”
“What are you talking about?“ Aiko asked, trying to stay calm.
“The one that her mind is creating,“ Operator 47 said, his tone matter-of-fact.
Before Aiko could respond, she felt a pinprick in her arm. Her vision blurred, and the world around her dissolved into blackness.
When Aiko awoke, she was lying on a cold, hard floor. Her head throbbed, and her limbs felt heavy and uncooperative. She blinked, trying to clear the fog from her mind. Slowly, she sat up and looked around. She was still in the large open area, but was now alone. Ginger was gone, and there was no sign of Malcolm or Operator 47.
She struggled to her feet, her legs wobbling beneath her. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She had to find Ginger and figure out what was going on. She couldn’t let them use her friend as a pawn in their twisted game.
Aiko returned to her cell, her mind racing with plans and contingencies. She had to be careful, but she also had to act quickly. Time was running out, and she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.
Soon after she reached her cell, she saw a small piece of paper slipped under the door. She picked it up and unfolded it, her heart pounding. The note was written in a hurried, scrawled hand.
Aiko, meet me in the yard during the exercise period. We need to talk.
Ginger
She tucked the note into her pocket and sat down on her bunk. Her mind raced with possibilities. She had to be careful, but she also had to be brave. Ginger was counting on her.
The hours dragged by, each minute feeling like an eternity. Finally, it was time for the mandatory exercise period. Aiko joined the other girls in the yard, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of Ginger. She spotted her friend near the far end of the yard, standing alone and looking pale and shaken.
Aiko made her way over to Ginger, her heart pounding with fear and determination. “Ginger, are you okay?“ she asked, her voice low and urgent.
Ginger looked up, her blue eyes filled with fear and relief. “Aiko, thank God you’re here,“ she said, trembling. “I don’t know what they did to me, but I keep seeing things that aren’t real.”
“We’ll figure this out together,“ Aiko said.
Tears rolled across Ginger’s face. “I’m scared. I feel hollow and lost.“
“But first, we need to get you somewhere safe.”
Ginger nodded. “I trust you, Aiko.”
She took Ginger’s hand and led her to a secluded corner of the yard. They sat down, their backs against the cold, rough wall. Aiko took a deep breath.
“Malcolm needs us for some sick purpose. He gives us special privileges, but there is something more to this.”
Ginger screamed as flames spread from Ginger’s hands and covered her arms.
“It hurts!”
Aiko froze.
What’s happening to her?
She scanned the area and saw nothing she could use to put out the dancing flames. Ginger ran toward the nearest building, her body engulfed in flame. Aiko’s nostrils recoiled at the smell of burning flesh. A group of inmates watched in horror as Ginger continued to burn in front of them.
“Put me out,” Ginger screamed.
Moments later, Ginger exploded. A group of inmates caught fire and screamed as the flames daisy chained across a dozen girls. Screams of pain and anguish filled the area; Aiko covered her ears, but their screams seared into her brain. An alarm sounded through the detention center, and several guards sprayed the burning bodies with a hose, but the water seemed to fuel the flames as if it was gasoline. She screamed and watched helplessly as the group burned to ash.